Powder Beauty Boutique recently celebrated 10 years in business with a spangly ‘do – 10 years! That’s not an easy milestone to reach and so they celebrated by hosting an event in the salon featuring inspiring guest speakers, super cool brands and discounted beauty treatments.

Midnight / inky / deep / goth-glam-punk blue – call it what you want but one thing is for sure, it ‘s a colour that is at the top of the fashion and beauty pile when it comes to shades to be seen in.

Gracing the front cover of the latest Glamour magazine (December 2015), on the talons of Tanya Burr and as seen everywhere from on celebrities to the High Street, this deep shade of blue is hot.

It would be rude not to opt for the same blue on my own talons for my latest Powder mani then wouldn’t it?

The team used ‘Up All Night’ Gelaze finish and I can’t get enough. It goes with everything and makes me feel glamorous even if I have been Up All Night (but sadly not drinking cocktails, but instead due to my toddler)!

Every spring we’re inundated with pretty pastels as baby blue, powder pink and delicate nudes take centre stage in our wardrobes and makeup palettes. But what if you want more ‘oomph’? If you prefer deeper shades and don’t want to stop wearing them for spring / summer, then this seasons Bordeaux shades like the 2015 pantone: marsala are for you.

Celebrities such as Miranda Kerr, Emma Stone and Blake Lively have all been spotted wearing marsala tones, boldly contrasting with the red carpet yet smouldering in this deeply vibrant shade.

My latest manicure uses a marsala tone with metallic stripes on my ring fingers for an up-to-date look and more wearable take on the catwalk trends of the year. A berry-meets-plum-meets-burgundy hue that changes with the light, it looks striking against pale skin tones while enhancing darker or tanned skin. Because of the deeper, more elegant tone to it – you can wear marsala day or night. I’m totally addicted.

I love this simple TOPSHOP maxi dress teamed with a leather fringed bag and gladiator sandals. Who says springtime fashion and beauty has to be light and fluffy? Dare to be different.

If you’re an avid follower of this blog, you’ll know that I usually opt for nail art and manicures that are a little less ordinary. OK, a lot less ordinary. So this time, I favoured simplicity and opted for a simple pastel pink manicure.

My nails are suffering at the moment, for a number of reasons. Being a mum, my hands are consistently in water – cleaning, mopping spills and ‘accidents’, germ paranoia…the list goes on. That and tapping at my laptop everyday, leave my talons looking tatty.

Powder therefore advised me to give my preferred gels a rest and let my natural nails breathe while restoring some much-needed nourishment. They advised using a cuticle oil every night. It needn’t be a chore, just pop it by your bedside or apply while watching the TV. I love coconut oil and olive oil which works just as well. Simply focus on the cuticle and gently massage in the oil to encourage healthy growth.

I’m trying to use a hand cream everyday throughout the day too so I’ve put a pot next to each sink in the house, next to my bed and in my handbag – no excuse!

The shade I picked is Suzi Shops & Island Hops by OPI. You’ll see this shade in all the shops right now, it looks fantastic with this seasons navy and denim trends so I might have to go out and buy some new indigo denim flares to match my mani. What?? 🙂

Since it’s Christmas, I simply had to indulge in festive nail art. There’s no other time of year when you can get away with so much glitter and novelty!
But instead of the usual Rudolph and Santa Clause, I steered away from those and the expected green and red colour-ways by opting for an on-trend pink gel mani with white and gold accent nails.

The middle finger sports a polka dot Christmas tree topped with a sparkling gem while the ring finer is painted with chunky gold glitter. If you opt for regular nail polish over gels, you can simply wipe clear your festive designs to reveal a simple, long-lasting gel mani beneath, once Christmas is over.

To recreate this look at home, paint nails in your chosen colour then use a bobby pin or nail art tool to dot on the Christmas tree into a v-shape. If you want to make it super slick, use washi tape to leave a v in which to paint inside then remove once dry.

Pink is a surprising shade that has been leading the fashion charts this season and it is set to stat for spring summer 2015. If you’re out and about in the sales, look out for sugary pinks, corals and fuchsia to take you into next season for less.
I love this TOPSHOP Lace Collar Top, £16 which looks great with skinny jeans and bejeweled pumps and I’ve already got my hands on this Matalan Pink Faux Fur Coat, £30 which has already gone into the sale, whoop!

Pop into Powder and have for a comforting cuppa and a spot of festive nail art while you’re out shopping. It’s the only way to get through all the mayhem!

Hi everyone, I’m Bethanie – Mum, writer and wine lover. I’ve been writing about fashion and beauty for 11 years now and have in that time, grown a passion for products and trends alongside boundless knowledge.

I recently visited Powder Beauty Boutique for a trend-lead gel manicure and simply had to share it with you for a little beauty inspiration.

Hailing key autumn-winter 2014/15 fashion looks, I opted for pastel pink and gunmetal grey nail art in a geometric pattern. I think the colours stand out so well next to each other and my talons are attracting much attention – always a good thing in my book.

In contrast to Fall’s bold primary colours, burnt oranges and strong reds, pastels will become a tran-seasonal trend from the summer months with Ralph Lauren, and Christopher Kane having lead the way on the catwalks. Pastel pink in particular will give a feminine and glamorous look but, as an overriding style for next season, pretty pinks will be punked up a little for a ‘polished but edgy’ finish.

Grey, as shown by Michael Kors, will be one of the key shades to wear and looks fabulous combined with pastels. Look out for gunmetal grey as shown here for the perfect balance of glamorous and gritty.

So if you want to stay ahead of the fash pack and sport next seasons styles, head down to Powder Beauty Boutique.

Hope Christmas treated you well and you’ve settled into 2014 nicely, as a thank you to all our super customers we are offering 25% discount on Nails! So if you would like to get those nails nicely groomed then check out this offer!

Offer on until 31st March. Yay!
Perfect if you want to try out a Gel Manicure (long lasting colour for 2 weeks)
or Vinylux weekly polish. Vinylux dries naturally to a flawless finish and strengthens
its resistance to chips over time. Vinylux Colours & Topcoat are also available to buy
in store at £9.50.

Popular colours at Powder

Decadence

Rubble

Rouge Red

Us Powder Ladies will also be offering our services at The Powder Nail & Lash Bar at
The Brighton Tattoo Convention http://www.brightontattoo.com